With Poland set to host Junior Eurovision 2020 in a month’s time, it’s perhaps understandable that national broadcaster TVP isn’t completely focused on making a decision about whether to send teenage starlet Alicja Szemplińska to Eurovision 2021. Nevertheless, the waiting game hasn’t brought Alicja down (or maybe it has), as she’s released another ballad for us to enjoy called “Pusto”, which translates to “Empty” in English.
We all know our girl loves her big meaningful power ballads. Her Eurovision 2020 song “Empires” was about the problems with today’s world, while follow-up single “Gzieś” was about finding meaning in life.
And now, Alicja’s new song “Pusto” is about a dark internal struggle with her feelings and dealing with a broken heart. It’s a big ol’ break up ballad, but we are here for her.
Alicja is feeling empty in the “Pusto” lyrics
In the music video’s description, Alicja says “Pusto” is “A hymn of memories of a broken heart, filled with longing, regret and a sense of injustice. Dedicated to all those who have been or are in a state of loss”.
Sung entirely in Polish, the “Pusto” lyrics highlight the empty feeling you get when your heart breaks and you lose the person that once made you whole. Alicja discusses how you don’t entirely know who you are without the other person, and how you begin to question everything:
I jak będzie teraz noc?
I jaki będzie teraz dzień?
Zapadam się
A jeśli to był błąd czy to jest wciąż mój dom?
Kim jestem teraz ja?
And how will the night be now?
And what day will it be now?
I’m falling
And if it was a mistake, is this still my home?
Who am I now?
Some of the opening lines of the song are extra poignant given the world’s current circumstances. The quiet streets around us can amplify this feeling of emptiness and heartbreak:
Puste miasto wokół nas
Wschodzi słońce, zwalnia czas
An empty city around us
The sun rises, time slows down
Many people will be able to relate to these words. After a break up, it’s difficult not to look back on the memories we spent together with the other person, both good and bad. Even though it causes us pain, sometimes we just can’t help ourselves:
Wspomnienia drażnią jak zły film
Zapalam światło, czuję brak
Oglądam zdjęcia jeszcze raz
Memories are as irritating as a bad movie
I turn on the light, I feel a void
I look at the photos again
Scroll down for the full “Pusto” lyrics
Alicja – “Pusto”
Alicja had a big hand in crafting many elements of “Pusto”. Not only did she co-write the music, alongside Bogdan Kondracki, but the Polish star was also involved in the making of the music video.
Alicja co-wrote the screenplay for the music video in addition to being the co-director, whilst of course starring in it as well. With all the skills that she’s developing and utilising, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Alicja is still only 18 years old.
Lyrics: “Pusto” – Alicja
Polish text
(Puste miasto
Wschodzi słońce)
Puste miasto wokół nas
Wschodzi słońce, zwalnia czas
na plecach czuję twoją dłoń
wysyła ciepło aż po kość
twój głos
mój szept
splecione w jedną całość
na wskroś po grób
jak może to być mało?
ty chcesz, ja nie
ja nie!
I jak będzie teraz noc
I jaki będzie teraz dzień
Zapadam się
A jeśli to był błąd czy to jest wciąż mój dom
Kim jestem teraz ja
Gdy nie ma cię
Obok mnie
(Puste miasto
Wschodzi słońce)
Za oknem szaro, zimno mi
Wspomnienia drażnią jak zły film
Zapalam światło, czuję brak
Oglądam zdjęcia jeszcze raz
twój głos
mój szept
splecione w jedną całość
na wskroś po grób
jak może to być mało?
ty chcesz, ja nie
ja nie!
I jak będzie teraz noc
I jaki będzie teraz dzień
Zapadam się
A jeśli to był błąd czy to jest wciąż mój dom
Kim jestem teraz ja
I jak będzie teraz noc
I jak będzie teraz noc
I jaki będzie teraz dzień
Zapadam się
A jeśli to był błąd czy to jest wciąż mój dom
Kim jestem teraz ja
I jak będzie teraz noc
English translation
(Empty city
The sun rises)
Empty city around us
The sun rises, time slows down
I feel your hand on my back
sends heat down to the bone
your voice
my whisper
intertwined into one whole
right through to the grave
how can this be enough?
you want it, I don’t
I do not!
And how will the night be now
And what will be the day now
I’m falling
And if it was a mistake is it still my home
Who am I now
When you’re gone
Next to me
(Empty city
The sun rises)
It’s gray outside, I’m cold
Memories are as irritating as a bad movie
I turn on the light, I feel the void
I look at the photos again
your voice
my whisper
intertwined into one whole
right through to the grave
how can this be enough?
you want it, I don’t
I do not!
And how will the night be now
And what will be the day now
I’m falling
And if it was a mistake is it still my home
Who am I now
And how will the night be now
And how will the night be now
And what will be the day now
I’m falling
And if it was a mistake is it still my home
Who am I now
And how will the night be now
What do you think of “Pusto”? Do you think Alicja should represent Poland again next year at Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam? Let us know in the comments below.
Is it possible that we already got our first 2021 song? Considering that Poland is still to confirm Alicja and that she could be writing a plethora of songs, this is a guesswork at it’s vaguest. However, I recall that Slavic Girls was out months before being confirmed as a Polish entry, so who knows. If this is it… I am quite happy! Such a beautiful song with meaningful lyrics and Alicja’s voice gets to shine in highs and lows. 🙂 Another success for Poland.
Why pay for overhyped, mediocre, foreign songwriters when your young artist can produce something this much better when she’s given a chance to contribute to the songwriting herself? Much better than “Empires”. When comfortable with the song, Alicja is a vocal talent!
“Pusto” is a very beautiful song. I hope that Alicja may have a second chance to represent Poland in Rotterdam 2021 with a song like this one !!
It means empty, so you’re right! 🙂
It means ”empty” in Croatian as well. As in *it* is empty. Male form would be ”pust” and female form ”pusta”.
ok but this would be great for 2021
She releases such good music yet her weakest song was chosen to represent Poland. Hope she returns with something true to her (polish language would be great)
Well, if she is chosen to represent Poland again, she has an eligible song to present since this was released after September 1.
That’s it! I hope Poland will send this song it’s 100% better that their 2020 entry
I think this song has a stronger chance than empires, but it might have to lose about 40 seconds to keep it to the three minute limit. There also might be a chance some of the lyrics could be translated to English to make it understandable.